On a day when India celebrates the historic achievement of becoming a truly sovereign republic, it is an apt moment to remember Chanakya, one of the most legendary polymaths in the civilisational history of the nation, who coined and executed the idea of a united 'Bharatvarsh' centuries ago.
If the remarkable journey of the Brahmin Acharya (teacher) to a kingmaker of the first pan-Indian empire is an ever-inspiring tale, due credit should also be given to the extraordinary portrayal of the legendary character by one of contemporary India’s best scriptwriter and director Chandraprakash Dwivedi.
Dwivedi who played the royal advisor to Emperor Chandragupta Maurya and helmed the cult classic series 'Chanakya' himself for crores of TV viewers in India for the first time ever deserves special credit.
Chanakya, a 47-part epic television historical drama written and directed by Dwivedi was originally telecast on DD National between 1991 and 1992. The series took India by storm and garnered wide accolades for its realism, casting and larger than life portrayal apart from winning many awards.
Dwivedi was on Tuesday conferred with Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award of the country, as a mark of honour to his decades-long contribution to the field of art.
A qualified medical professional who gave up his profession because of deep curiosity in Indian literature and arts, Dwivedi has directed and written many epic serials and movies. His latest film is Prithviraj Chauhan produced by Yash Raj Films, starring Akshay Kumar and Manushi Chhillar in lead roles.
On felicitation with Padma Shri, Chandraprakash is humbled beyond words and has dedicated the honour to the Republic of India.
"I am deeply humbled to have been bestowed with the prestigious Padma Shri award. I have been fortunate enough to creatively collaborate with some of the best minds of the Hindi film and television industry," said the Director.
"This recognition will drive me to tell stories that celebrate my motherland in its full glory like my next 'Prithviraj' in which we will honour the valour of one of the bravest warriors that India has ever seen," IANS quoted him saying.